Gaura plant named ‘DOGAURGRAPI’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gaura  plant named ‘DOGAURGRAPI’, characterized by its compact and upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; bright pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Gaura lindheimeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOGAURGRAPI’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier,The Netherlands on Feb. 4, 2022, application number 2022/0381. Foreignpriority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/orApplicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior artexception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior tothe filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filingdate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gauraplant, botanically known as Gaura lindheimeri and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘DOGAURGRAPI’.

The new Gaura is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new compact and early-flowering Gaura plants withattractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Gaura plant originated from a cross-pollination in June, 2016 inAalsmeer, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Gauralindheimeri identified as code number GR-0007, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Gauralindheimeri identified as code number GR14-000046-008, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Gaura plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment inAalsmeer, The Netherlands in June, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gaura plant by vegetative tip cuttingsin a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since July,2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Gaura plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gaura have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘DOGAURGRAPI’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘DOGAURGRAPI’ as a new and distinct Gaura plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Bright pink-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Gaura can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Gaura differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in flower color as plants of the new Gaura have brightpink-colored flowers whereas plants of the female parent selection havewhite-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Gaura can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Gaura differ from plants of the male parentselection in flower color as plants of the new Gaura have brightpink-colored flowers whereas plants of the male parent selection havewhite-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Gaura can be compared to plants of Gaura lindheimeri‘Belezza White’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants ofthe new Gaura differ from plants of ‘Belezza White’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaura are more compact than and not as tall        as plants of ‘Belezza White’.    -   2. Plants of the new Gaura have bright pink-colored flowers        whereas plants of ‘Belezza White’ have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Gaura can also be compared to plants of Gauralindheimeri ‘Gaudi Red’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons,plants of the new Gaura differ from plants of ‘Gaudi Red’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaura have green-colored leaves whereas        plants of ‘Gaudi Red’ have reddish-colored leaves.    -   2. Plants of the new Gaura have bright pinke-colored flowers        whereas plants of ‘Gaudi Red’ have dark reddish pink- colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Gaura plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Gaura plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical plant of‘DOGAURGRAPI’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the early summer in 17-cmcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and undercultural practices typical of commercial Gaura production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time one week afterplanting and were 16 weeks old when the photograph and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Second Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gaura lindheimeri ‘DOGAURGRAPI’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gaura            lindheimeri identified as code number GR-0007, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Gaura            lindheimeri identified as code number GR14-000046-008, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at            temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About twelve            days at temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 16 days            at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white to light yellow in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and            upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal            branching habit with about nine primary branches each with            about 24 secondary branches developing per plant, pinching            enhances lateral branch development; dense and bushy plant            form; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 50 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 25 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Upright to about 60° from vertical.        -   Texture and luster.—Pubescent, rough; glossy.        -   Color, developing and developing.—Close to 143A tinged with            close to 53A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 9 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire with shallow and widely-spaced indentations.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 147A; venation, close to 59A. Developing and fully            developed leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single flowers arranged on            terminal and axillary racemes; freely flowering habit with            about 14 flowers per inflorescence and about 1,378 flowers            developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers            face mostly upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            July to September in The Netherlands; plants begin flowering            about eleven weeks after planting; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 15 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.3 cm by 2.6 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.6 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 73A.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Four in a single whorl. Length: About            1.6 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Obtuse.            Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 73A. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 73A; venation,            close to 74A; color becoming closer to 68A with subsequent            development.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Four in a single whorl. Length: About            1.5 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acuminate.            Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 185A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 10° from stem            axis. Texture and luster: Pubescent, rough; glossy. Color:            Close to 187A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Eight per flower.            Filament length: About 9 mm. Filament color: Close to 65B.            Anther shape: Linear; basifixed. Anther size: About 1 mm by            4 mm. Anther color: Close to 187A. Pollen amount: Abundant.            Pollen color: Close to 4C. Pistils: Quantity: One per            flower. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Style length: About            1.3 cm. Style color: Close to 186A. Stigma shape:            Four-lobed. Stigma diameter: About 3 mm. Stigma color: Close            to 144C. Ovary color: Close to 187A. Fruits: To date, fruit            development has not been observed on plants of the new            Gaura.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gaura have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about −23° C. to about 35° C. and to be    suitable for U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zones 6 to 10.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Gaura have    not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Gaura plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gaura plant named ‘DOGAURGRAPI’ asillustrated and described.